Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-03-25

President Buckham delivered a thought
full and timely discourse on "The Progress
of Religious Thought in our Time, at the
College street church, Sunday night He
said the man must be blind who did not
see that we are passing through one of the
Illuminating periods in religious thought
which have marked the history of the
church. The lines are forming for mo-
mentous contest. No thoughtful person
can be indifferent to it, and this church
has an especial interest i'll it, for here one
of the earliest skirmshes preceding the
main contest, was fought, in the debate in
the general convention, ten years ago,
over 1.-THE historic resolution" And il is
worthy OF note that the leader OF the con
servatives in that skirmish, is now among
the foremost in the ranks of the progress
sive orthodox wing of the denomination.
The present advance of religious thought
is the result in large measure, of the re-
vival by the church of the doc rine of con
tinuous INSPIRATION for which there is
abundant warrant in Scripture. The men
who are identified with this movement be-
ieve in the revelation of truth by the spirit
of truth to the Christian consciousness.
With them Christ-Hls example. teach
ingS, sacrifice and the redemption through
Him. is the central truth of theology. 1t
is truth as old rs Christianity, yet in
our day emphasized and made central i'll
such a way as to cause a read justment of
the system. One of the most obvious in
dicatlons of such read ustment is in the
question now so prominent, in reference
to the future state of the great masses of
! the heather world who have never had
any opportunity to hear of Christ or to
accept His salvation. Two ways are Sug-
gested in which the judge of ali the earth
may extend mercy to these multtudes.
/ +. l.. IL L.,
the same standard as others, but accord
ing to the light they have and 50 mitigate
their doom. Another is the hypothesis
that they may have an opportunity TO &C
cept or reject Christ in future life. BY
most of those who do not reject
this solution OF the problem It. Is
held only as a mercitul pOSSjbUUU They
do not find it distinctly revealed or dis
tinctly forbidden. President Buckham
did not argue either side of the question.
His discourse, which was unwritten and
informal, though most clear, comprehen-
sive and interesting, was simply state
ment of the issue now imminent in the
Congregational denomination aud others
yet 1t was such statement rs for many q
tair-minded nearer would almost preclude
the necessity of any further discussion
He did not himself hold the doctrine of {
future probation. He had not got beyouC
a UillingnCSS to believe in such mercfu
possibility, if it should be found to be not fol
hidden, as an alternative to the appalling
conclusion which would consign to eterna
misery all of the myrads who have neve
had an opportunity to hear of Christ
But he wished always to be counted OF
the side of progress-progreSS in truth
knowledge, grace and glory, in this lif
and the life beyond. The church SHOULD
always be seeking more light and tn
Christian consciousness always alive t.
the revelations OF the Spirit of God. Tn
discourse held throughout the amos
breathless interest of large audience